Chapter 543: I’m Pregnant
Chapter 543: I’m Pregnant
Chapter 543: I’m Pregnant
Surviving the first night under my mother-in-law’s watch felt like cheating death, but when Himekoji remembered this would last over a week, he groaned with a headache.
On the way to school, Mama Shizuka waved tenderly at the genkan, treating them like a fresh-out-of-wedding couple heading off to work.
It should’ve been sweet—but then she threw this weighty reminder at both of them:
“Shizuka’s ovulation period is the 21st to the 30th. Let’s keep trying these next few days! Fighting! Fighting! Fighting!”
“Oh… fighting…”
“Fighting, fighting…”
Their replies sounded tired and listless.
Only the enthusiastic mother-in-law held her fighting spirit till the end.
……
Having slept badly all night, Himekoji unsurprisingly dozed through morning classes.
After class, Imouto dragged him to the hallway and lectured him fiercely while Rikka gloated from the sidelines.
But Himekoji was at fault, so he couldn’t snap back at Akiko. Instead, he aimed his anger at Rikka.
Strange how Rikka and Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye shared the same face, yet Himekoji treated them oppositely.
With Rikka, he huffed impatiently—tapping her head, pinching her cheeks till she yelped.
But if it were the Lady? Himekoji instantly flipped to gentle manners… softer voice, perfect politeness.
Sometimes when Rikka’s personality switched mid-split-second to the Lady’s, Himekoji’s face followed suit—a lightning-fast, comical mask change.
……
Now, it was definitely Rikka.
Himekoji unloaded Akiko-inspired rage onto her.
Knuckles grinding into Rikka’s temples, he scolded: “Laughing? Still owe me for the other night! Skipping a sleep slot to game instead? Confess your crime!”
“Owwwww! I didn’t game!”
“Denying it?”
“Stop! Tuesday’s body went to the Lady after 9 PM! Innocent! Innocent! Stopppp!”
Even with torture, Rikka stuck to her innocence—pouting tearfully like a victim.
“Eh?”
Her expression seemed genuine. Himekoji paused. An idea sparked: “Transfer to the Lady. Now!”
Rikka nodded limply, shook her head. “She… she won’t answer.”
“Ah, got it.”
He reddened, waved awkwardly: “W-well. Need the bathroom.”
He’d guessed why Lady avoided this…
Was that why noise scratched outside Mashiro’s door? Had thought it was Hikari…
Case closed!
Mortifying—caught doing that by Lady all night?
Himekoji craved sudden death.
That’s why he ended up on the rooftop—summoned for an important meeting.
(A side note: time’d ticked past the hallway incident. Lunch break: 1:15 PM.)
Spotting who awaited him, he froze.
Of all people… Yukinoshita?
Hearing footsteps, she turned—dark circles panda-hinting beneath her eyes.
Looked worse than yesterday; exhaustion clung tighter.
“Pervert-kun,” she breathed, “I’m pregnant.”
Himekoji jolted.
What?
She knows? Haven’t told her yet!
Then again… the System meddling started over a week ago! Add Lady’s mystery herbal soup… How wouldn’t Yukinoshita notice?
Weird? Her calm delivery shocked him.
Watching him, Yukinoshita drew a deep inhale: “The baby’s… not yours.”
“No! It is mine!”
“…Huh? Pervert-kun… What’re you talking about?”
Panic shred her mask: coolness gone.
“No! You just said ‘not yours’! Don’t scary-story twist my day!”
“Ahem.”
She flushed pink; even she sensed the line was messy…
But wasn’t that how things went? Tell man “I’m pregnant,” he’d mentally pin fatherhood on himself?
Overwhelmed, she’d blurbed denial…
Himekoji’s response stunned harder: claiming it? He craved instant fatherhood?
Ridiculous!
Yet for one heartbeat, she’d thought… if only your words were true, Pervert-kun—
“Sounds crazy,” Yukinoshita murmured, “but this is real. Those weren’t sickness throws… they were morning sickness. Got tests confirming yesterday.”
Her gaze clouded; wind teased her hair. Hand clutching skirt, she stared distant—small, lost, adrift.
First time Himekoji saw Yukinoshita unraveled…
She confided in me first.
A weird pride rose; perhaps, somehow, he was becoming reliable to her.
Pulse loud, Himekoji squeezed fists: “Yukinoshita… I know the baby’s mine. DNA test? Seven weeks pregnant qualifies! I researched to convince you!”
“…Eh?”
Certainty almost fooled her. Better than reality? But—
“W-we… we’ve had no baby-making acts.”
She twisted shyly—fingers intertwining behind her back. Eyes fixed on shoes, face aflame.
After a pause, courage broke through shame:
“A-and I’ve never done things like that… with anyone.
(It’s always… you… my dreams…
Night, after night…
On loop.)”
……
……